Presented by Paul Rubenson, MdHS Exhibitions Manager. Animated Christmas wonderlands! From repurposed clock works to water pumps, from candles to incandescent lights, from old washing machine motors to electric TRAINS, TRAINS, TRAINS, mechanically-minded Marylanders added life to the German immigrant tradition of miniature worlds under the Christmas tree. This talk explores the roots and reasons behind a local craft tradition that embraced early twentieth-century technological enthusiasm to become an American holiday staple. Paul Rubenson is an historian of technology with an MA from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Free. Bring your lunch.

Animated Christmas wonderlands! From repurposed clock works to water pumps, from candles to incandescent lights, from old washing machine motors to electric TRAINS, TRAINS, TRAINS, mechanically-minded Marylanders added life to the German immigrant tradition of miniature worlds under the Christmas tree. This talk explores the roots and reasons behind a local craft tradition that embraced early twentieth-century technological enthusiasm to become an American holiday staple. Paul Rubenson is an historian of technology with an MA from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is also the Historical Society’s exhibitions manager.